Letters to the Editor

April is Public Health Month

Written by Terry Krohn, director, Two Rivers Public Health Department
Thursday, 08 April 2010 13:37

Public health has seen dramatic progress achieved through a century of public health advancements — the elimination of polio, vaccination for many childhood diseases, the fluoridation of drinking water and seat belt laws. But there is more work to be done and by building on the successes of the past, we can improve Nebraskans’ health. Progress can be made by creating safe communities that enable people to make healthy choices for themselves and their families. Small actions at the community level can make a big difference!

Children are more likely to bike or walk to school—increasing their activity levels —in communities that have newly built or improved sidewalks, traffic lights, pedestrian crossings and bicycle paths.

Taking just a moment to receive (or give) a vaccination can be a life-saver. For example, people in retirement communities are 27 percent less likely to be hospitalized and nearly half as likely to die from flu- or pneumonia-related complications if they receive yearly flu vaccinations.

Businesses are part of the solution too. Workplace nutrition and physical activity programs successfully contribute to weight loss and improve body mass index among employees.

Each of these small changes starts with someone like you who is committed to improving the health of his or her community. It’s up to you to create and continue the momentum so that together we can become the healthiest nation in one generation.

For more information contact Two Rivers Public Health Department at 1-888-669-7154 or see our Web site or click here to view a video.

A liberal point of view responds

Written by Lloyd Pohl, Perris, CA
Wednesday, 07 April 2010 21:50

I grew up in Wild Horse Valley and graduated from Gothenburg High School in 1951. I was in graduate school at Nebraska and was in attendance when the Cornhuskers had their first sell-out. I get season tickets to the football games and come back several times a year.

There is some guy named Davis who keeps writing you letters telling you how terrible liberals are—I’m a liberal and proud of it. I figure we wouldn’t even have a country if conservatives had their way.

The day the Declaration of Independence was signed, the leading conservative of the day—a guy named Robertson from Pennsylvania—was giving a speech urging reconciliation with the king.

When the constitution was being written, the conservatives wanted to make Washington king.

I don’t really know what conservatives said about Jefferson wasting all that money on the Louisiana Purchase.

If the conservatives had their way in the 1860’s, we would have the U.S. and the confederate states. The Civil War was very expensive.

I don’t really know what conservatives said about the Intercontinental Railroad that Lincoln signed into law, but I can still remember my folks talking about railroad land that went to pay for it.

I do remember that the conservatives called Alaska Seward’s folley.

I don’t know what the conservatives said about women getting the vote, but I’ll bet it wasn’t good.

World War II-time conservatives were called isolationists. They wanted to keep us out of Europe’s troubles. Roosevelt had to come up with lend lease to help out England before the Japanese finally attacked, and thank God for Social Security. It keeps me from living in a tent or under a bridge or in a cardboard box.

Going back a little, there was another Roosevelt. A conserver of numerous places, the builder of the Panama Canal—that must have cost a dollar or two.

Then, there was Truman. He integrated the Armed Forces. Later on, lots of things got integrated, but when I went in the Army, I remember Black drinking fountains, Black toilets and Black everything when I got sent to Arkansas. That was the work of conservatives.

Conservatives sneeringly speak of Democrats as being taxers and spenders, but they say Ike was responsible for the interstate highway system—that must have taken some taxing and spending. Too bad the conservatives won’t spring for a little money to keep it in repair.

Now, we have conservatives screaming “baby killer” at Democrats over the health care bill. How many poor people did health care, as it was until a few days ago, kill? It seems to me that the real “killers” are conservatives.

In the last letter I read from Mr. Davis, he said liberals were a bunch of losers. My oldest son represented the United States three times in international competition in modern pentathlon, made all America in fencing at Cal State Long Beach, and held the 500-yard free style swimming record at his high school for over 20 years. My daughter swam competitively, won about every award possible in singing and got a college scholarship to sing at Northern Arizona. My youngest son won eight first-places in one day in a swimming meet against 8-year-olds when he was only 6. At one point in time, he had run the fastest half-mile of any 8-year-old in Kern County, CA. He went on to play football, basketball and baseball in high school being a four-year starter in baseball. Then, he played football and baseball in college. Yep, nothing but a bunch of damn losers!

Oh well, my lady and I are getting pretty old. I guess we won’t get to come back to Nebraska this fall. We have to make an appointment with one of Palin’s death panels.

Fighting against liberalism

Written by Neil A. Davis
Thursday, 01 April 2010 16:24

The headline read “Health care bill becomes law. What’s in it?”

How sad is that? Watching 219 co-conspirators vote away our freedom, made me physically ill. The people that champion women’s right to choose what they do with their bodies (abortion) now control what the entire population can and cannot do with their bodies. Incredible. Efforts to promote the bill gave us witness to a liars competition. President Obama and Speaker Pelosi came in first and second.

After the vote, statements by congressional Democrats gave insight into how it happened. Alcee Hastings said “There are no rules here....We make them up as we go along.” This guy was the sixth federal judge in American history, to be impeached and removed from office. Florida voters then sent him to Washington?

John Dingle said “....it takes a long time....to put the legislation together to control the people.” Asked what part of the Constitution allows Congress to mandate buying health insurance, House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers said “....the good and welfare clause and a couple others.”

These people have to swear an oath to support and defend the Constitution. I have long believed that a majority (both parties) have never read it, let alone studied it. There is of course no “good and welfare clause” and I would bet folding money that Conyers couldn’t name any other part of the document, save for the commerce clause. They have been bastardizing our law through “interpretation” of the commerce and welfare clauses since FDR. It’s time to clean house.

A poll showed that 49% of voters favor their state suing the federal government against the law. The list of state attorneys general who are going to fight it, is growing. Nebraska’s Jon Bruning is among them.

Past usurpations by the Supreme Court, that have already set precedents in favor of the wrong, will make it a difficult task. States working toward regaining their sovereignty has been long overdue and any success will be a chip off the stone.

In retaliation Democrats are disparaging tea partiers as “domestic terrorists” to shift the focus. James Clyburn fanned the flames and gave a glimpse of the future saying they would “....soon get to deal with this issue of immigration, and I’m afraid that if we don’t tamp this down now, ....that could lead to some catastrophic events.”

A map on Sarah Palin’s Web site showing members of Congress who she believes should be “targeted” in this year’s mid-terms and a statement “we’ll aim for these races” are being portrayed as threats. How do you process idiocy like that? My response? I am now more determined than ever, to make every effort possible to get liberalism down on the ground, put a boot on it’s neck and make sure it never gets back up.

A couple good things. The new law has been endorsed by Fidel Castro. Everyone will see a $2,500 decrease in their insurance premiums. The President said so, or was he lying.

Stories speak of hope, courage

Written by Pam Ackerman, Lexington
Wednesday, 24 March 2010 22:01

Thanks so much for continuing to offer hope and courage in your news articles and feature stories about cancer!

This week’s front page with those bright daffodils and smiling faces just made my day; and the courageous story about the Clark family touched my heart.

You always go the extra mile to bring a face to cancer... a local face that everyone knows in your community. And you explore the feelings of cancer with survivors and caregivers.... that’s the message we need to know!

Thanks again for being a partner in the fight against cancer!

Daffodils depict spirit of hope

Written by Louise Dannehl, 2010 American Cancer Society Daffodil Days chairperson
Thursday, 18 March 2010 16:34

Hope bloomed in Dawson County this year as we painted our community yellow with daffodils. The overwhelming support that Dawson County residents, businesses and other groups showed to the American Cancer Society Daffodil Days was incredible. My heartfelt appreciation goes out to everyone who participated in this campaign to help the American Cancer Society create a world with less cancer and more birthdays, where cancer never steals another year from anyone’s life.

Although Daffodil Days involves giving beautiful flowers, it is really about giving hope for a future free from cancer. It is heartwarming to know that so many of our fellow residents are dedicated to fighting back against this disease. Thank you to the volunteer drivers, onsite coordinators and daffodil processors, as well as everyone who supported this year’s Daffodil Days by requesting flowers for their homes and offices. Also, to the corporate sponsors and Sunshine Award donors. This year, we raised $10,190.

Together, Dawson County and the American Cancer Society are saving lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight.

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